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Johnnie St. Vrain: Tree at Roger's Grove decorated in memory of young man

Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
12/31/2013 06:07:53 PM MST

Updated:
12/31/2013 06:11:41 PM MST

This note hangs Tuesday on a decorated tree at Roger s Grove in Longmont. (Johnnie St. Vrain/Times-Call)

Dear Johnnie: I've lived in Longmont for 4½ years now, and every year have noticed one tree at Roger's Grove is decorated at Christmastime. Do you know why only this tree is decorated and who does this? Thanks for your response! -- Rose

Dear Rose: I had planned to do a "best of" Johnnie column for today's paper. Your question allows me to repeat an answer from a couple of years back.

In 2002, the family of Matthew Uilk began decorating the tree, which had been donated to the city to give the family a place to honor Matthew's memory. That year, family and friends decorated the tree for the first time.

Write to

Johnnie St. Vrain

Matthew Uilk died at age 22 from complications of Duschenne muscular dystrophy. He graduated in 1998 from Longmont High School as an honor student. He studied music at Front Range Community College, took some course work from the University of Colorado and worked at Back Beat Music.

CDs were among the decorations hung from the tree back then. Given that the tree is again decorated with CDs and with a note specifically written to Matthew, I feel confident in saying that friends and family of Matthew Uilk still decorate it.

The tree was still decorated as of Tuesday, but based on what I've seen in previous years, I expect the decorations to come down within the week.

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